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Sedans High End Luxury Cars
24697 messages, Last post on Nov 28, 2009 at 3:09 PM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
Let's try to define this forum as being limited to luxury performance vehicles where the mainstream version in a typical configuration has an MSRP of at least $60k.
A luxury vehicle with a base price of $59k qualifies because it would typically be bought with some additional equipment, bringing the MSRP over $60k.
Vehicles like the E, 5, A6, M, or GS, even if available in certain versions over $60k, don't qualify because they are cars from companies that have higher end cars in their lineups.
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The following is a headline with just a few selected paragraphs from today's Wall Street Journal. Kudos for Infiniti for at least trying to be distinct in its design versus being a Bangle imitator like Toyota/Lexus. BMW's Chief Designer Enjoys Newfound Respect "Suddenly, everyone is trying to do the kind of styling for which the auto journalists criticized the BMW group so loudly," BMW Chief Executive Helmut Panke crowed at a dinner with reporters here. "You look at the Camry rear end and you see another 7 Series. It is not the 'Bangle butt' anymore." The new LS 460 from Toyota's Lexus brand also has a profile that almost exactly follows that of the 7 Series, while models from Nissan Motor Co.'s Inifiniti brand have moved to a modernist styling. In an interview, Mr. Bangle said he is pleased BMW's work is being emulated, but, "I don't dwell on these issues," he said. "In this business, you don't spend a lot of time looking in the mirror. You try to figure out what curve is coming up."
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the pretenders will never catch BMW. They will always be one step ahead of the competition. No time wasted looking in the mirror. Funny how all the Bangle-bashing has turned into automotive plagiarism.
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Replying to: hpowders (Jan 12, 2006 8:48 am) all greatness attracts criticism. The critics will only get louder as Bangle basks in worldwide glory !
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Replying to: dewey (Jan 12, 2006 8:36 am) Also, remember that I've also indicated a possibility for those S-Class wheel arches to have an impact on industry styling in the future, although I think it will be mild. The latest approach to the 7's rear has really dialed in the styling concept, IMO, particularly due to the way the rear lenses carry over into the trunk. It's good. |
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Replying to: merc1 (Jan 11, 2006 11:10 pm) 2005 Sales: ES: 67,577 IS: 15,789 GS: 33,457 LS: 26,043 SC: 8,360 RX: 108,775 GX: 34,339 LX: 8,555 Total: 302,895 2006 Sales (prediction): ES: 71,000 IS: 48,000 GS: 36,000 LS: 25,000 SC: 7,000 RX: 103,000 GX: 28,000 LX: 7,000 Total: 325,000 |
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Replying to: dewey (Jan 12, 2006 8:59 am) Imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery. Bangle should be collecting royalties from Toyota/Lexus. Kind of dismaying how many Lexicans seem to be in complete denial over this. But, the pretenders can superficially copy all they want. Style has its limits. What makes BMW's unique: the soul, the passion and exciting driving dynamics. The pretenders will always come up a bit short. Instead of bragging that its interiors are made of wood from the same tree, give me a vehicle that will steer with road feel and whose steering wheel is not made out of slippery wood. Give me a car that will corner without body lean instead of like a big, bloated barge. Give me a Bangle BMW 7 series!
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Replying to: hpowders (Jan 12, 2006 8:48 am) They will always be one step ahead of the competition. No time wasted looking in the mirror. Funny how all the Bangle-bashing has turned into automotive plagiarism. Notice how many other luxury marques are doing the whole "joystick" thing?.... Funny how BMW takes the heat 3-4 years early, then everyone else follows along. AUDI:  ACURA:  INFINITI: 
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Lexus will cave like the others with an iDrive copy. It's almost inevitable despite what Lexus says. These HELM's are getting so complex with electronic sophistication, I don't see how they can avoid it much longer.
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The gorgeous interiors are compelling and amazing in comparison to the interiors of earlier generation cars. Great technology, safety, and comfort all rolled together. The joystick is fine with me, but as I have said before, the number of buttons is getting ridiculous, and the only ultimate logical way to manage it all is with voice command. This allows all the technology to be user- friedly, and allows the driver to DRIVE instead of pushing buttons and touchscreens everywhere. Let's face it, the technology is going to come, like it or not, so I'm a big believer in voice command. One command and it's done! TagMan |
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What's with people and i-drive. The whole critisism wasn't about the joystick, it's the fact that it took 6 steps to chagne the radio station where previously it was a simple turn of the dial or press of one button. So it's not a question of hardware, but software! The other car companies, from what I read, have systems that are much more intuitive, even though they use the joystick like BMW. |
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